John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

Well, he’s got to get a frame sooner rather than later, because they are running away at the moment. He’s lost the last five and honestly he doesn’t look like at the moment that he’s going to win a frame.

What Murphy did straight after Wu is fantastic. Let’s not take anything away from him there. He know that it was an extremely important visit and he cleared it. He floated it in on the brand new cloth, wobbled the black a little bit, made a great clearance but that was a tremendous visit.

Wu Yize, after losing five frames in a row, is at the table at the start of frame 23. Is now the time for him to get going today?

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

This is the biggest test of Wu Yize's career so far. Can he dig himself out of this hole?

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

It is a great place to play but it can be such a lonely chair and Wu is looking very vulnerable and very nervous. If he had got that frame it would've settled him down again. It's really tough there for Wu but Murphy did a great job.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

Wu Yize was 6-2 up against Chris Wakelin at the Tour Championship recently and ended up losing 10-6 despite getting starts in a few of those frames.

This is not looking good at all for the 22-year-old.

Image source, PA Media

From 7-10 down, Shaun Murphy has turned this final around and now leads 12-10, six away from the trophy.

Wu was 37-7 ahead, but Murphy's break of 60 seals it. The Magician has conjured up breaks of 76, 52, 65, 55 and 60.

He's now the one in control.

Murphy 10 points ahead, with the colours on their spots. This could be five in a row.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

Well I fear for Wu Yize in this final because that was the chance he was waiting for. I fear he may struggle to win a frame this afternoon after missing that opportunity. We will see as these frames progress, but I feel he had to win that one there.

Wu gets to 37, but misses a black off the spot. Murphy may have been expecting to be dragged back level but now has a route to a two-frame lead, 7-37, so still plenty of work to do though.

Murphy gets seven points on the board after the restart but the miss hands Wu a chance.

He had a mini-session to forget but now, after doing superbly to free up the black when potting the red, has a chance to spend some time at the table.

Image source, Getty Images

Not only is it a massive occasion for both players, but also for referee Rob Spencer, who is officiating in his first Crucible final. However, it is not his first Triple Crown final after he took charge of the 2023 UK Championship showpiece, when Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Ding Junhui.

Speaking to the BBC before this final started, Spencer said: "It's a dream from the moment you start refereeing and that was 16 or 17 years ago, even now it has not sunk in.

"I've refereed two semi-finals here so refereed in the one-table set-up but the final is that extra bit. When you first walk into the arena it's like 'wow, it's a totally different venue' and a totally different feeling and the pressure really comes on.

"I come into it nervous but at the same time I'm confident and prepared as I've refereed here in big matches before."

Spencer used to be a policeman before becoming a snooker referee, but was also an excellent player, with a best break of 139.

He added: "For me the final is about the players more than me. I just want to walk out for the final, not make any mistakes and if everyone forgets who the referee was a week ago then I would be happy with that."

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

Like a lot of players, when the long game isn't working it completely depletes your potency as a player because you rely on that to get in and score.

The breaks Wu was making last night when he won that session - all the points came from long balls. Take that away and he's not the same player.

Image source, PA Media

Not sure if Wu Yize tried to pot a red to the corner there or was just playing safe but, either way, he's left a red over the corner pocket for Shaun Murphy to get going.

However, the pink is tied up and the black is tight to the top cushion so it's not an amazing chance to score big from here.

And indeed it's only a break of one as he gets the wrong side of the blue and, trying to create some angle, misses it to the middle.

The players are back out into the Crucible Theatre after their mid-session interval and Shaun Murphy, who has won all four frames played so far today, breaks off in frame 22 of a possible 35.

Four more frames will be played this afternoon.

Shabnam Younus-Jewell
BBC Sport Snooker reporter in Sheffield

Yesterday it was Wow Yize. Right now it's Woe Yize.

Shaun Murphy has really turned the screw after smelling blood. How the Crucible momentum can switch. This is set up for a fascinating mini-session.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

Image source, PA Media

Murphy will be feeling absolutely fabulous. Knowing [coach] Peter [Ebdon], he will say 'well done pal', and that’s it - then back down to business. Never too high, never too low. He couldn’t ask for any more, than to win the first four frames. He’s given himself a springboard.

The pressure in some ways might come off for [Wu]. He’s been in the front, and then all of a sudden, [he thinks] 'I've got to start playing now'. It’s not quite the same pressure, sometimes trying to cut a lead and being in front are two completely different things.

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport at the Crucible Theatre

Shaun Murphy has applied the pressure and Wu Yize is certainly feeling it.

Wu lost five frames on the spin in his semi-final against Mark Allen and looked to be on the ropes but the longest frame in Crucible history arguably came to his rescue mid-way through the match.

He has scored just 24 points across the previous three frames and will surely be heading to the practice room.